Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined the NFL in 1965[5] as an expansion team, after the NFL offered then-owner Rankin Smith a franchise to keep him from joining the rival American Football League (AFL).

Atlanta Falcons
Current season
Established June 30, 1965 (June 30, 1965)[1]
First season: 1966
Play in Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Atlanta, Georgia
Headquartered in Flowery Branch, Georgia
Atlanta Falcons logo
Atlanta Falcons wordmark
LogoWordmark
League/conference affiliations

National Football League (1966–present)

Current uniform
Team colorsBlack, red, silver, white[2][3][4]
       
MascotFreddie Falcon
Personnel
Owner(s)Arthur Blank
CEORich McKay
PresidentRich McKay
Head coachArthur Smith
General managerTerry Fontenot
Team history
  • Atlanta Falcons (1966–present)
Team nicknames
  • The Dirty Birds
  • Grits Blitz (1977 defense)
Championships
League championships (0)
Conference championships (2)
Division championships (6)
Playoff appearances (14)
Home fields

In their 54 years of existence, the Falcons have compiled a record of 375–475–6 (365–461–6 in the regular season and 10–14 in the playoffs), winning division championships in 1980, 1998, 2004, 2010, 2012, and 2016. The Falcons have appeared in two Super Bowls, the first during the 1998 season in Super Bowl XXXIII, where they lost to the Denver Broncos 34–19,[6] and the second was 18 years later, a 34–28 overtime loss to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI.

The Falcons' current home field is Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which opened for the 2017 season; the team's headquarters and practice facilities are located at a 50-acre (20 ha) site in Flowery Branch,[7] northeast of Atlanta in Hall County.

Franchise history
Further information: History of the Atlanta Falcons

Professional football comes to Atlanta

Professional football first came to Atlanta in 1962, when the American Football League (AFL) staged two preseason contests, with one featuring the Denver Broncos vs. the Houston Oilers and the second pitting the Dallas Texans against the Oakland Raiders. Two years later, the AFL held another exhibition, this time with the New York Jets taking on the San Diego Chargers.

In 1965, after the Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium (then known simply as Atlanta Stadium) was built, the city of Atlanta felt the time was right to start pursuing professional football.[8] One independent group which had been active in NFL exhibition promotions in Atlanta applied for franchises in both the AFL and NFL, acting entirely on its own with no guarantee of stadium rights. Another group reported it had deposited earnest money for a team in the AFL.[9]

With everyone running in different directions, some local businessmen (Cox Broadcasting) worked out a deal and were awarded an AFL franchise on June 8, contingent upon acquiring exclusive stadium rights from city officials.[10][11] NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle, who had been moving slowly in Atlanta matters, was spurred by the AFL interest and headed on the next plane down to Atlanta to block the rival league's claim on the city of Atlanta.[5][8][11] He forced the city to make a choice between the two leagues; by June 30, the city picked Rankin Smith and the NFL.[8][12]

The AFL's original expansion plans in June 1965 were for two new teams in 1966,[13][14] in Atlanta and Philadelphia.[15] It later evolved into the Miami Dolphins in 1966 and the Cincinnati Bengals in 1968. The NFL had planned to add two teams in 1967; the competition with the AFL for Atlanta forced the first to be added a year early in 1966. The odd number of teams (15) resulted in one idle team (bye) each week, with each team playing 14 games over 15 weeks (similar to 1960: 12 games over 13 weeks). The second expansion team, the New Orleans Saints, joined the NFL as planned in 1967 as its 16th franchise.

The Atlanta Falcons franchise began on June 30, 1965, when Rozelle granted ownership to 40-year-old Rankin Smith Sr., an Executive Vice President of Life Insurance Company of Georgia. He paid $8.5 million, the highest price in NFL history at the time for a franchise.[5] Rozelle and Smith made the deal in about five minutes and the Atlanta Falcons brought the largest and most popular sport to the city of Atlanta. The Atlanta expansion team became the 15th NFL franchise, and they were awarded the first overall pick in the 1966 NFL Draft as well as the final pick in each of the first five rounds.[16] They selected consensus All-American linebacker Tommy Nobis from the University of Texas, making him the first-ever Falcon. The league also held the expansion draft six weeks later in which Atlanta selected unprotected players from the 14 existing franchises. Although the Falcons selected many good players in those drafts, they still were not able to win right away.[5]

The Atlanta team received its nickname on August 29, 1965. Miss Julia Elliott, a school teacher from Griffin, was singled out from many people who suggested "Falcons" as the nickname for the new franchise. She wrote: "the Falcon is proud and dignified, with great courage and fight. It never drops its prey. It is deadly and has a great sporting tradition."[17][18]

1966–1977: Early struggles

The Falcons' inaugural season was in 1966, and their first preseason game was on August 1, a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Under head coach Norb Hecker, Atlanta lost their first nine regular season games in 1966; their first victory came on the road against the struggling New York Giants on November 20 in Yankee Stadium. Two weeks later, Atlanta won at Minnesota, and beat St. Louis in Atlanta the next week for their first home win. The team finished the 1960s with 12 wins in four seasons.

The Falcons had their first Monday Night Football game in Atlanta during the 1970 season, a 20–7 loss to the Miami Dolphins. The only two winning seasons in their first 12 years were 1971 (7–6–1) and 1973 (9–5).

1978–1989
The Falcons' defense taking on Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway during a 1985 game.

In the 1978 season, the Falcons qualified for the playoffs for the first time and won the Wild Card game against the Eagles 14–13. The following week, they lost to the Dallas Cowboys 27–20 in the Divisional Playoffs.

In the 1980 season, after a nine-game winning streak, the Falcons posted a franchise then-best record of 12–4 and captured their first NFC West division title. The next week, their dream season ended at home with a loss to the Cowboys 30–27 in the divisional playoffs. In the strike-shortened 1982 season, the Falcons made the playoffs but lost to the Minnesota Vikings, 30–24. Falcons coach Leeman Bennett was fired after the loss. The team then had losing seasons for the next eight years.

1989–1996

In the 1989 NFL Draft, the Falcons selected cornerback Deion Sanders in the first round, who helped them for the next four years, setting many records for the franchise. "Neon Deion" (a.k.a. "Prime Time") had a flashy appeal and helped bring media attention to one of the league's most anonymous franchises. Sanders was also famous for playing on major league baseball teams (New York Yankees and the Atlanta Braves) while simultaneously playing in the NFL.

The Falcons playing against the Los Angeles Rams during a 1991 away game.

After defeating the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Wild Card game, the Falcons' 1991 season ended in a divisional playoff loss to the Washington Redskins. In the 1991 NFL Draft, the Falcons selected quarterback Brett Favre as the 33rd overall pick. During his rookie season, he played in two games where he amassed a record of four passing attempts with no receptions and two interceptions. The following February, Favre was traded to the Green Bay Packers.

In 1992, the Atlanta Falcons opened a new chapter in their history moving into the newly constructed Georgia Dome, where the team has defeated all 31 other NFL teams at least once during its time there.

1997–2000: The Dan Reeves era

In 1998, under recently acquired head coach Dan Reeves, quarterback Chris Chandler and running back Jamal Anderson the "Dirty Bird" Falcons had their greatest season to date. On November 8, they beat the New England Patriots 41–10, ending a streak of 22 losses at cold-weather sites. The team finished with a franchise-best 14–2 regular season record and the NFC West division championship. On January 17, 1999, the Falcons upset the top-seeded Vikings at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in the NFC Championship Game 30–27, in an exciting overtime victory. However, in their first-ever Super Bowl appearance, they lost 34–19 to the defending champion Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXIII.

In the second game of the Falcons 1999 season, running back Jamal Anderson, who had been a key player in the Falcons' 1998 success, suffered a season-ending knee injury. The Falcons finished the season with a very disappointing 5–11 regular season record.[5] In 2000, the Falcons suffered through another horrendous season finishing 4–12 and once again missing the playoffs.

2001–2006

In the 2001 NFL draft, the Falcons orchestrated a trade with the San Diego Chargers, acquiring the first overall pick (which was used on quarterback Michael Vick) in exchange for wide receiver-return specialist Tim Dwight and the fifth overall pick (used on running back LaDainian Tomlinson).

The Falcons finished the 2001 season with a record of 7–9 and missed the playoffs. Jessie Tuggle retired following 14 seasons in Atlanta. On December 6, 2001, Arthur M. Blank reached a preliminary agreement with the Falcons' Taylor Smith to purchase the team. In a special meeting prior to Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans on February 2, 2002, NFL owners voted unanimously to approve the purchase.[19]

The 2002 season saw the Falcons return to the playoffs with a regular season record of 9–6–1, tying the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was Vick's first year as the starter, and the team, with newly acquired running back Warrick Dunn, delivered the Green Bay Packers their first home playoff loss ever. A 20–6 loss to the Donovan McNabb-led Philadelphia Eagles the following week, however, ended the Falcons' season.

On March 19, 2003, the Falcons presented their new logo.[20][5] During the 2003 preseason Vick broke his leg and missed the first 12 games of the season. After losing 7 straight games, the decision was made to release head coach Dan Reeves. Wade Phillips acted as interim coach for the final 3 games. Although the Falcons won 3 of their last 4 games after the return of Vick, they ended up with a 5–11 record that year. In 2004, a new head coach, Jim L. Mora, was hired and Vick returned for the full season. The Falcons went 11–5, winning their third division title and earning a first-round bye into the playoffs. In the divisional playoffs, the Falcons defeated the St. Louis Rams, 47–17, in the Georgia Dome, advancing to the NFC Championship Game, which they lost to the Eagles, 27–10.

The Falcons again fell short of achieving back-to-back winning seasons in 2005, going 8–8. In 2006, Michael Vick became the first quarterback in league history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season, with 1,039. After finishing the season 7–9, however, coach Jim Mora was dismissed and Bobby Petrino, the University of Louisville's football coach, replaced him. Before the 2007 season began, Vick was suspended indefinitely by the NFL after pleading guilty to charges involving dog fighting in the state of Virginia. On December 10, 2007, Vick received a 23-month prison sentence and was officially cut from the Atlanta roster.

2007
Main article: 2007 Atlanta Falcons season

For the 2007 season, the Falcons were forced to start Joey Harrington at quarterback. On December 11, 13 games into his first NFL season as head coach, Bobby Petrino resigned without notice to coach at the University of Arkansas, leaving the beleaguered players only a note in the locker room. Secondary Coach Emmitt Thomas was named interim coach for the final three games of the season on December 12. The Falcons ended the year with a dismal 4–12 record.

2008–2014: The Mike Smith era
Mike Smith

After the tumultuous and disappointing 2007 season, the Falcons made a number of moves, hiring a new General Manager and head coach, drafting a new starting quarterback, and signing a starting running back.

On January 13, 2008, the Falcons named former Patriots director of college football scouting Thomas Dimitroff General Manager.[21] On January 23, Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coach and former linebackers coach for the 2000 Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens Mike Smith was named the Falcons' new head coach.[22] Chargers back-up RB Michael Turner agreed to a 6-year deal, $30 million deal on March 2.[23] On April 26, Matt Ryan (quarterback from Boston College) was drafted third overall in the 2008 NFL draft by the Falcons.[24]

2008
Main article: 2008 Atlanta Falcons season

The Falcons finished the 2008 regular season with a record of 11–5, and the #5 seed in the playoffs.[25] On December 21, 2008, Atlanta beat the Minnesota Vikings 24–17 to clinch a wild card spot, earning a trip to the playoffs for the first time since 2004. The Falcons would go on to lose in the wild-card round of the 2008 NFL playoffs to the eventual NFC champion Arizona Cardinals, 30–24.

Matt Ryan started all 16 games in his rookie season and was named the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year.[26] First-year head coach Mike Smith was named 2008 NFL Coach of the Year.

2009
Main article: 2009 Atlanta Falcons season

Although they failed to make the playoffs in 2009 the team rallied to win their final three regular season games to record back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in franchise history. The Falcons defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20–10 in the final game of the season to improve their record to 9–7.[6]

2010
Main article: 2010 Atlanta Falcons season

In 2010, with a regular season record of 13–3, the Falcons secured a third straight winning season, their fourth overall divisional title, and the top overall seed in the NFC playoffs; however, the Falcons were overpowered by the eventual Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers in the NFC Divisional Playoffs 48–21. The Falcons scored 414 points – the fifth-most in franchise history.[6] The team sent an NFL-high and franchise-best nine players to the 2011 Pro Bowl.[27]

2011
Main article: 2011 Atlanta Falcons season

The Falcons made a surprise trade up with the Cleveland Browns in the 2011 NFL draft to select Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones sixth overall. In exchange, the Falcons gave up their first-, second- and fourth-round draft picks in 2011, and their first and fourth draft picks in 2012. Jones, along with teammates Tony Gonzalez and Roddy White, have since been dubbed Atlanta's "Big Three" (based on their total number of reception yards).[28] On August 30, 2011, Sports Illustrated senior writer Peter King, who correctly predicted the 2011 Super Bowl, made his predictions for the 2011 season and picked the Falcons to defeat the San Diego Chargers in the 2012 Super Bowl.[29] The Falcons finished the season at 10–6, securing the fifth seed after a Week 17 beatdown of Tampa Bay in which the Falcons pulled their starters after leading 42–0 just 23 minutes into the game.

The Falcons then went on to play the New York Giants in a 2011 NFC Wild Card Game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The first half was a defensive struggle, with the first points coming off of a safety by the Falcons, giving Atlanta a 2–0 lead. In the 2nd quarter, though, Eli Manning connected with Hakeem Nicks for a short touchdown pass to make it 7–2 Giants heading into the 2nd half. Then the Giants took control, as Manning threw for two more TD passes to Mario Manningham and Nicks and the defense completed its shutout of the Falcons to give the New York Giants the win, 24–2, and the Falcons their third straight playoff loss with Matt Ryan and Mike Smith.[30] After the season Defense Coordinator Brian VanGorder accepted a coaching job at Auburn University, and the offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey took the head coaching job in Jacksonville.

2012
Main article: 2012 Atlanta Falcons season

Atlanta exploded out of the gate, going a franchise best 8–0 and remaining the last unbeaten team in the NFL that year. Their hopes to get an undefeated season came to an end with a 27–31 loss to the division rival Saints. Julio Jones had a remarkable second year, grabbing 10 touchdowns and 1,198 yards. The Falcons finished the season 13–3, and clinched the number one seed in the NFC playoffs.

The Falcons played the Seattle Seahawks in their first playoff game. Although they went down 28–27 with only 31 seconds left on the clock, Matt Ryan led the team to their first playoff victory, 30–28. It was the only playoff victory in the Mike Smith era.

The Atlanta Falcons then advanced to face the San Francisco 49ers. The Falcons seized control of the game early with a Matt Bryant field goal, a trio of Matt Ryan touchdown passes caught by Julio Jones and Tony Gonzalez coupled with outstanding defensive play. By the end of the half, the score was 24–14. The tides of the game began to shift in the second half as the 49ers rallied back with a pair of Frank Gore touchdown runs. Atlanta's offense attempted to reply but were ultimately shut down by the 49er defense. A few series later, late in the 4th quarter with little time remaining, Atlanta found themselves in a 4th and 4 situation at the 10-yard line. The Falcons needed just 10 more yards to secure victory and advance to their first Super Bowl berth in 14 years. Matt Ryan fired a pass to Roddy White which was ultimately broken up by inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman, resulting in a 28–24 defeat.

2013
Main article: 2013 Atlanta Falcons season

Following the success of the previous season, the Falcons were an expected Super Bowl contender. However, injuries hampered the team's performance and the team finished the season 4–12. With that, the streak of consecutive winning seasons came to an end and Mike Smith had his first losing season as a head coach. Tony Gonzalez, in his final season in the NFL, was selected to the 2014 Pro Bowl as a starter representing Team Rice. Following the conclusion of the 2012 season, director of player personnel Les Snead departed the team to join the St. Louis Rams and Dave Caldwell, assistant to general manager Thomas Dimitroff, left the team to join the Jacksonville Jaguars. Scott Pioli, former GM of the New England Patriots, was announced as the Falcons' new assistant GM. Mike Smith was given a one-year extension on his contract as head coach. The Falcons had the 6th overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft with which they selected Jake Matthews, who played as offensive tackle for Texas A&M.

2014
Main article: 2014 Atlanta Falcons season

Despite having another rough season, the Falcons still had an opportunity to qualify for the playoffs at the end of the regular season. The Falcons hosted the Carolina Panthers in their regular season finale, with the winners clinching the NFC South division. Unfortunately, the Falcons lost in a 34–3 blowout as Matt Ryan threw two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns and got sacked six times. The Falcons finished the season 6–10, marking the second consecutive losing season for the team.[31] The following day, Mike Smith was fired after seven seasons as head coach.[32] The Falcons would soon hire Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as the team's 16th head coach.[33] The Falcons had the 8th overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft with which they selected Vic Beasley, a defensive end from Clemson University.[34]

2015
Main article: 2015 Atlanta Falcons season
Dan Quinn

In February 2015, the team was investigated by the NFL for alleged use of artificial crowd noise in the Georgia Dome.[35] The Falcons lost a 2016 NFL Draft selection as a result of the league's investigation.[36]

Dan Quinn's first season saw a 5–0 start, the team's best start in four years. They would then struggle throughout the rest of the season by losing 8 of their last 11 games, resulting in an 8–8 record. They did, however, give the Panthers their only regular season loss. The Falcons used their first-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft on safety Keanu Neal from the University of Florida.

2016
Main article: 2016 Atlanta Falcons season

In the Falcons' 25th and final season in the Georgia Dome, Atlanta lost their week 1 game to the Buccaneers 24–31. The Falcons would then win their next four including one over the Panthers, when the franchise set new records: Matt Ryan threw for 503 yards, and Julio Jones caught 12 passes for 300 yards. Beating the San Francisco 49ers 41–13 in Week 15, the Falcons improved to 9–5 and secured their first winning season since 2012. One week later, the Falcons defeated the Panthers in Charlotte, North Carolina, and clinched their first NFC South division title since 2012. In their last regular season game at the Georgia Dome, the Falcons defeated the New Orleans Saints, and secured an 11–5 record and a first round bye.

In the divisional round of the playoffs, Atlanta defeated the Seahawks 36–20 in the Georgia Dome, and hosted their last game at the Dome against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game on January 22, 2017. The Falcons defeated the Packers 44–21 to advance to Super Bowl LI as the NFC champions. Atlanta was up 28–3 late in the third quarter, and the New England Patriots scored 31 unanswered points, with the last 6 in the first-ever overtime in the Super Bowl. The Patriots' 25-point comeback was the largest in Super Bowl history.[37]

In 2016, the Falcons scored 540 points in the regular season, the seventh-most in NFL history, tied with the Greatest Show on Turf (the 2000 St. Louis Rams).[38] However, the Falcons defense gave up 406 points, 27th in the league.[39]

2017
Main article: 2017 Atlanta Falcons season

The Falcons moved into their new home, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, this season. Their first game ever played at the new stadium was a preseason loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The first regular season game at the new stadium was a rematch of the 2016–17 NFC Championship, with Atlanta defeating Green Bay 34–23. Their first loss of the season was a 23–17 home defeat to the Buffalo Bills in week 4.[40] The team returned to the playoffs with a 10–6 record (albeit with a third-place finish in the NFC South). The Falcons defeated the Los Angeles Rams 26–13 in the Wild Card round, but their 2017 season came to an end a week later in the Divisional Playoff round at the hands of the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles 15–10.

2020

In their first game with new uniforms, the Falcons lost to the Seattle Seahawks at home 38–25. The Falcons then suffered comebacks made by both the Cowboys on the road (39–40) and then back in Atlanta against the Bears (26–30). On October 11, after the team suffered a 23-16 loss at home against the Carolina Panthers, the Falcons announced they fired head coach Dan Quinn after 5 seasons and General Manager Thomas Dimitroff[41]

Stadiums
Main article: Mercedes-Benz Stadium

The Falcons have called three stadiums home in their 51 years of existence, and its third home in their history opened in the late summer of 2017. The first was the Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, sharing with the Atlanta Braves Major League Baseball team until 1991. In 1992, the Georgia Dome was built, and the Falcons played there from its opening to the 2016 season. The Dome has been frequently used for college football, including Georgia State football and college bowl games such as the Peach Bowl.

In an effort to replace the aging Georgia Dome and potentially host a future Super Bowl, team owner Arthur Blank proposed a deal with the city of Atlanta to build a new state-of-the-art stadium not far from where the Georgia Dome is located. Blank will contribute $800 million and the city of Atlanta will contribute an additional $200 million via bonds backed by the city's hotel/motel tax towards the construction of a retractable roof stadium. Blank will contribute additional money for cost overruns if it is needed. The team will provide up to $50 million towards infrastructure costs that weren't included in the construction budget and to retire the remaining debt on the Georgia Dome. In addition, Blank's foundation and the city will each provide $15 million for development in surrounding neighborhoods. Though the total cost of the stadium was initially estimated to be around $1 billion,[42] the total cost was revised to $1.5 billion according to Blank.[43] In March 2013, the Atlanta City Council voted 11–4 in favor of building the stadium.[44] The retractable roof Mercedes-Benz Stadium broke ground in May 2014, and became the third home stadium for the Falcons and the first for the new Atlanta United FC Major League Soccer club upon opening in 2017.

Logo and uniforms
Falcons uniform: 1971–1989
Falcons uniform: 1997–2002
Falcons uniform: 2016–19, including the throwback edition

The Atlanta Falcons' colors are red, black, silver and white.[45] When the team began play in 1966, the Falcons wore red helmets with a black falcon crest logo. In the center of the helmet was a center black stripe surrounded by two gold stripes and two white stripes. These colors represented the two college rival schools in the state of Georgia; rival schools Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (white and gold) and the Georgia Bulldogs (red and black). Although the gold was removed after several seasons, the white remains to this day. They wore white pants and either black or white jerseys. At first, the falcon crest logo was also put on the jersey sleeves, but it was replaced by a red and white stripe pattern four years later. They switched from black to red jerseys in 1971, and the club began to wear silver pants in 1978. The facemasks on the helmets were initially gray, becoming white in 1978, and then black in 1984; the team has worn black facemasks since then.

A prototype white helmet was developed for the team prior to the 1974 season, but was never worn.

In 1990, the uniform design changed to black helmets, silver pants, and either black or white jerseys. The numbers on the white jerseys were black, but were changed to red in 1997. (The red numerals could be seen on the away jerseys briefly in 1990.)

Both the logo and uniforms changed in 2003. The logo was redesigned with red and silver accents to depict a more powerful, aggressive falcon, which now more closely resembles the capital letter F.[20][46]

Although the Falcons still wore black helmets, the new uniforms featured jerseys and pants with red trim down the sides. The uniform design consisted of either black or white jerseys, and either black or white pants. During that same year, a red alternate jersey with black trim was also introduced. The Falcons also started wearing black cleats with these uniforms.[47]

In 2004, the red jerseys became the primary jerseys, and the black ones became the alternate, both worn with white pants. In select road games, the Falcons wear black pants with white jerseys. The Falcons wore an all-black combination for home games against their archrivals, the New Orleans Saints, winning the first two contests (24–21 in 2004 and 36–17 in 2005), but losing 31–13 in 2006. The Falcons wore the all black combination against the New Orleans Saints for four straight seasons starting in 2004, With the last time being in 2007, losing 34–14. They wore the combination again in 2006, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2. The Falcons won that game, 14–3. The Falcons also wore their all-black uniform in 2007 against the New York Giants, and in 2008 against the Carolina Panthers and against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (for the second time). After that, the black pants and uniforms were retired and the white pants were now used full-time with the regular uniforms.

In the 1980s, the Falcons wore their white uniforms at home most of the time because of the heat. When the Falcons started playing in a dome, the team switched to their dark uniforms for home games but have worn their white uniforms at home a few times since switching to the dome. It was announced at the 2009 state of the franchise meeting that the Falcons would wear 1966 throwback uniforms for a couple games during the 2009 season. The Atlanta Falcons wore 1966 throwback jerseys for two home games in 2009 – against the Carolina Panthers on September 20 and against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on November 29. The Falcons won both of those games. They donned the throwbacks again for 2 games in 2010, against Baltimore and San Francisco, winning both of those games as well. The throwbacks were used twice in 2011 and 2012; both times were against the Panthers and Saints. However, the throwbacks were retired following a 2013 NFL rule requiring only one helmet shell per team.

The Falcons unveiled an all-red Color Rush uniform on September 13, 2016; however, due to the fact that the Falcons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had similar all-red Color Rush uniforms, the Falcons were unable to wear their Color Rush uniform until the 2017 season.[48][49]

Also in 2016, the Falcons unveiled a mixed throwback uniform set. The uniform tops, pants and socks closely resembled their 1960s kits. But due to the NFL's one-shell rule that prevented them from resurrecting the red helmets, the Falcons instead wore the black helmets with the original logo decal similar to the design they wore in the 1990s.

It was revealed in January 2020 that the Falcons will change uniforms for the 2020 NFL season.[50] The ensuing design featured the return to black as the primary home uniform color for the first time since 2003. Both the primary home and road uniforms featured the "ATL" abbreviation in red above either white or black numbers with red drop shadows. The black uniforms are normally paired with black pants, while the white uniforms are paired with white pants. The alternate uniform featured a red/black gradient design and also featured the "ATL" abbreviation in white above white numbers with black drop shadows. Black pants are only used with this uniform. All three uniforms feature red side stripes. The current throwback uniform was also retained. In addition, the Falcons switched to matte helmets with the enlarged falcon logo and gray facemasks.[51]

Rivalries

New Orleans Saints
Main article: Falcons–Saints rivalry

In every season except for their debut season, the Falcons have shared a division with the New Orleans Saints (first the NFC West, and now the NFC South). Over this time, a heated rivalry has developed between the two cities' franchises, as they were the only two NFL teams in the Deep South for quite some time. The series is the oldest and most iconic rivalry in the NFC South.[52] Atlanta leads the series 52–48.

Carolina Panthers
Main article: Falcons–Panthers rivalry

In addition, the Falcons share a similar, yet smaller, rivalry with the Carolina Panthers, with both teams having been in the NFC West from the Panthers' founding in 1995 to the NFL realignment in 2002, where they have been in the NFC South since then. The Falcons lead the series 27–17.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Finally, the Falcons share a rivalry with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since the NFL realignment in 2002. Before that, Tampa Bay was in the AFC West. After, they were in the NFC Central before the realignment.

Statistics

Season-by-season records
Main article: List of Atlanta Falcons seasons

Record vs. opponents

Includes postseason records[53]

Source:[54] Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties

TeamWLTPercentLast resultLast dateLast localePostseason
St. Louis/Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals15150.500W 40-14December 16, 2018Mercedes-Benz Stadium0–1 postseason
Baltimore Ravens240.333L 16–26December 2, 2018Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Buffalo Bills750.583L 17–23October 1, 2017Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Carolina Panthers34180.654W 25–17October 29, 2020Bank of America Stadium
Chicago Bears13150.464L 26-30September 27, 2020Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Cincinnati Bengals590.357L 36–37September 30, 2018Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Cleveland Browns3120.200L 16–28November 11, 2018First Energy Stadium
Dallas Cowboys11150.423L 19–22November 18, 2018Mercedes-Benz Stadium0–2 postseason
Denver Broncos780.467W 34–27November 8, 2020Atlanta, Georgia0–1 postseason
Detroit Lions13240.351W 30–26September 24, 2017Detroit, Michigan
Green Bay Packers14160.467L 20–34December 9, 2018Lambeau Field2–2 postseason
Houston Texans220.500W 48–21October 4, 2015Georgia Dome
Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts2140.125L 21–24November 22, 2015Georgia Dome
Jacksonville Jaguars430.571W 24–12December 22, 2019Atlanta, Georgia
Kansas City Chiefs360.333L 28–29December 4, 2016Georgia Dome
San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers820.800L 30–33 (OT)October 23, 2016Georgia Dome
St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams29472.385W 26–13January 6, 2018Los Angeles, California2–0 postseason
Miami Dolphins490.308L 17–20October 15, 2017Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Minnesota Vikings11180.357W 40–23October 18, 2020US Bank Stadium1–1 postseason
New England Patriots680.429L 7–23October 22, 2017Foxborough, Massachusetts0–1 postseason
New Orleans Saints52480.520W 26–9November 10, 2019Mercedes-Benz Superdome1–0 postseason
New York Giants13110.542W 23–20October 22, 2018Atlanta, Georgia0–1 postseason
New York Jets750.583W 25–20October 29, 2017East Rutherford, New Jersey
Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders770.500W 35–28September 18, 2016Oakland, California
Philadelphia Eagles14171.453W 24–20September 15, 2019Atlanta, Georgia1–3 postseason
Pittsburgh Steelers2141.147L 17–41October 7, 2018Heinz Field
San Francisco 49ers31461.404W 29–22December 18, 2019Levi's Stadium1–1 postseason
Seattle Seahawks6100.375W 34–31November 20, 2017CenturyLink Field2–0 postseason
Tampa Bay Buccaneers28240.538W 28–22 (OT)December 29, 2019Raymond James Stadium
Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans770.500W 10–7October 25, 2015Nashville, Tennessee
Washington Football Team10141.420W 38–14November 4, 2018FedEx Field0–1 postseason
Total3684536.44910–14 (.417)
  • *Notes International Series

Single game records
  • Rushing: Michael Turner, 220 (September 7, 2008)
  • Passing: Matt Ryan, 503 (October 2, 2016)
  • Passing touchdowns: Wade Wilson, 5 (December 13, 1992) and Matt Ryan, 5 (September 23, 2018)
  • Receptions: William Andrews, 15 (September 15, 1981)
  • Receiving yards: Julio Jones, 300 (October 2, 2016)
  • Interceptions: Several Falcons, 2, most recently Damontae Kazee, 2 (December 8, 2019)
  • Field goals: Norm Johnson, 6 (November 13, 1994)
  • Total touchdowns: T. J. Duckett, 4 (December 12, 2004) and Michael Turner, 4 (November 23, 2008)
  • Points scored: T. J. Duckett, 24 (December 12, 2004) and Michael Turner, 24 (November 23, 2008)
  • Sacks: Adrian Clayborn, 6 (November 13, 2017)

Single season records

Career records

Players
See also: List of Atlanta Falcons players

Current roster
Atlanta Falcons roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

 Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

 Reserve lists

Unrestricted FAs

Restricted FAs

Exclusive-Rights FAs

Rookies in italics

Roster updated January 17, 2021

31 active, 11 inactive, 23 free agent(s)

→ AFC rosters → NFC rosters

Pro Football Hall of Famers
Atlanta Falcons Hall of Famers
Players
No. Name Position Tenure Year inducted
8Tommy McDonaldWR19671998
29Eric DickersonRB19931999
21Deion SandersCB1989–19932011
56Chris DolemanDE1994–19952012
87Claude HumphreyDE1968–19782014
4Brett FavreQB19912016
5Morten AndersenK1995–2000
2006–2007		2017
88Tony GonzalezTE2009–20132019
Coaches
Name Position Tenure Year inducted
Norm Van BrocklinHead Coach1968–19741971

Sanders, Humphrey, Andersen, and Gonzalez are the only players in the Hall of Fame that have been inducted based substantially on their service with the Falcons. Andersen spent eight of his 25 NFL seasons with the Falcons, previously being the team's all-time scoring leader, but he also played his first 13 NFL seasons with the New Orleans Saints, leading that team's career scoring list.

Ring of Honor

The Atlanta Falcons organization does not officially retire jersey numbers, but considers certain players' jerseys worthy of being honored. The Falcons Ring of Honor, which is featured in the rafters of the Georgia Dome, honors individual players.[56]

Atlanta Falcons Ring of Honor
No. Player Position Tenure Inducted
10Steve BartkowskiQB1975–19852004
21Deion SandersCB1989–19932010
28Warrick DunnRB2002–20072017
31William AndrewsRB1979–1983, 19862004
42Gerald RiggsRB1982–19882013
57Jeff Van NoteC1969–19862006
58Jessie TuggleLB1987–20002004
60Tommy NobisLB1966–19762004
78Mike KennT1978–19942008
84Roddy WhiteWR2005–20152019[57]
87Claude HumphreyDE1968–19782008

Georgia Sports Hall of Fame
Main article: Georgia Sports Hall of Fame

Starting quarterbacks
Main article: List of Atlanta Falcons starting quarterbacks

Draft history
Main articles: List of Atlanta Falcons first-round draft picks, Atlanta Falcons draft history, and 1966 NFL expansion draft

Coaching staff

Head coaches
Arthur Smith (pictured in 2019), is the current head coach of the Atlanta Falcons
Main article: List of Atlanta Falcons head coaches
See also: History of Atlanta Falcons head coaches

In their history, the Atlanta Falcons have had 18 head coaches.[58]

Coach Years Record Notes
Norb Hecker1966–19684–26–1 (.145) Fired after three games in 1968.
Norm Van Brocklin1968–197439–48–3 (.450) Fired after eight games in 1974.
Marion Campbell1974–19766–19 (.240) Fired after five games in 1976.
Pat Peppler19763–6 (.333)Interim head coach.
Leeman Bennett1977–198246–41 (.529)
Dan Henning1983–198622–41–1 (.352)
Marion Campbell1987–198911–36 (.234) Retired after 12 games in 1989.
Jim Hanifan19890–4 (.000)Interim head coach.
Jerry Glanville1990–199327–37 (.422)
June Jones1994–199619–29 (.396)
Dan Reeves1997–200349–59–1 (.454)
Wade Phillips20032–1 (.667)Interim head coach.
Jim Mora2004–200626–22 (.542)
Bobby Petrino20073–10 (.231)Resigned after 13 games to take over the head coaching job at Arkansas.
Emmitt Thomas20071–2 (.333)Interim head coach.
Mike Smith2008–201466–46 (.589)
Dan Quinn2015–202043–42 (.506)Fired after 5 games in 2020.
Raheem Morris20204–7 (.364)Interim head coach.
Arthur Smith2021–present0–0 (–)

Current staff
Atlanta Falcons staff
Front office
  • Owner/chairman – Arthur Blank
  • President/CEO – Rich McKay
  • General manager – Terry Fontenot
  • Vice president of player personnel – Kyle Smith
  • Director of pro personnel – Shepley Heard
  • Director of coaching operations – Brian Griffin
  • Director of college scouting – Anthony Robinson
  • Assistant Director of college scouting – Dwuane Jones
  • Director of player personnel – Steve Sabo
  • National scouts – Ruston Webster, Phil Emery, and Joel Collier
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
Defensive coaches
  • Defensive coordinator – Dean Pees
  • Defensive line – Gary Emanuel
  • Linebackers – Frank Bush
  • Outside linebackers – Ted Monachino
  • Secondary – Jon Hoke
  • Assistant defensive backs – Nick Perry
  • Defensive assistant – Matt Pees
  • Defensive assistant – Lanier Goethie
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
  • Head strength and conditioning – Thomas Stallworth
  • Assistant strength – Brandon Ireland

→ Coaching staff
→ Management
→ More NFL staffs

AFC East
BUF
MIA
NE
NYJ
North
BAL
CIN
CLE
PIT
South
HOU
IND
JAX
TEN
West
DEN
KC
LV
LAC
NFC East
DAL
NYG
PHI
WAS
North
CHI
DET
GB
MIN
South
ATL
CAR
NO
TB
West
ARI
LAR
SF
SEA

Radio and television

Falcons' flagship radio station is WZGC 92.9 The Game.[59] Wes Durham, son of longtime North Carolina Tar Heels voice Woody Durham, is the Falcons' play-by-play announcer, with former Atlanta Falcons QB and pro football veteran, Dave Archer serving as color commentator.

In 2014, The CW owned-and-operated station WUPA became the official television station of the Falcons, gaining rights to its preseason games, which are produced by CBS Sports.[60]

In the regular season, the team's games are seen on Fox's O&O affiliate WAGA. When the Falcons challenge an AFC team, CBS affiliate WGCL will air those games while Sunday night games are televised on WXIA, the local NBC affiliate.

Radio affiliates
Map of radio affiliates.

Source:[61]

Georgia
CityCall signFrequency
AlbanyWSRA-AM1250 AM
AthensWRFC-AM960 AM
AtlantaWZGC-FM (Flagship)92.9 FM
BrunswickWSFN-AM790 AM
ClarkesvilleWDUN-FM102.9 FM
ColumbusWDAK-AM540 AM
WBOJ1270 AM
DaltonWBLJ-AM1230 AM
DouglasWDMG-AM860 AM
GainesvilleWDUN550 AM
GriffinWKEU-AM1450 AM
WKEU-FM88.9 FM
HogansvilleWGST-AM720 AM
JesupWLOP-AM1370 AM
WIFO-FM105.5 FM
LaGrangeWMGP-FM98.1 FM
LouisvilleWPEH-AM1420 AM
WPEH-FM92.1 FM
MaconWMAC-AM940 AM
MilledgevilleWMVG-AM1450 AM
NewnanWCOH-AM1400 AM
SandersvilleWJFL-FM101.9 FM
SavannahWSEG-AM1400 AM
WSEG-FM104.3 FM
StatesboroWPTB-AM850 AM
SwainsboroWJAT-AM800 AM
ThomastonWTGA-FM101.1 FM
ToccoaWNEG-AM630 AM
ValdostaWVGA105.9 FM
VidaliaWVOP-AM970 AM
WaycrossWFNS-AM1350 AM

Alabama
CityCall signFrequency
FoleyWHEP-AM1310 AM

Mississippi
CityCall signFrequency
JacksonWYAB-FM103.9 FM

South Carolina
CityCall signFrequency
ClemsonWCCP-FM104.9 FM

Tennessee
CityCall signFrequency
ChattanoogaWALV-FM105.1 FM[62]

Notes and references
  1. "Atlanta Falcons Team History". ProFootballHOF.com. NFL Enterprises. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  2. "Atlanta Falcons go back to black, unveil new uniforms". AtlantaFalcons.com. NFL Enterprises, LLC. April 8, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  3. Bergman, Jeremy (April 8, 2020). "Falcons unveil new uniforms, helmet ahead of 2020". NFL.com. NFL Enterprises, LLC. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  4. "Atlanta Falcons Team Capsule". 2020 Official National Football League Record and Fact Book. NFL Enterprises, LLC. August 17, 2020. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  5. "Rise Up: Team History" (PDF). 2017 Atlanta Falcons Media Guide. NFL Enterprises, LLC. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  6. Hubbuch, Bart (January 7, 2012). "Queens-born owner models Falcons after hometown team". New York Post. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  7. "Atlanta Falcons Corporate Headquarters and Training Facility". claycorp.com. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
  8. Minter, Jim (July 12, 1965). "The mayor surrenders Atlanta". Sports Illustrated: 14.
  9. "Atlanta Falcons Team History". Nflteamhistory.com. Archived from the original on May 17, 2008. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
  10. "Atlanta gets AFL berth". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. June 9, 1965. p. 3, part 2.
  11. "No-holds-barred war set by grid leagues". Rome News-Tribune. (Georgia). Associated Press. June 9, 1965. p. 11.
  12. "NFL wins 'war' for Atlanta stadium". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. July 1, 1965. p. 2, part 2.
  13. "AFL to add 2 teams in '66". Milwaukee Sentinel. UPI. June 8, 1965. p. 3, part 2.
  14. "American Football League will expand in 1966". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. June 8, 1965. p. 16.
  15. Hackleman, Jim (June 20, 1965). "Pro football leagues duel over juicy Atlanta plum". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. p. 4, sports.
  16. "1966 NFL Draft". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 27, 2008.
  17. "Frequently Asked Questions". Atlanta Falcons. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
  18. "Franchise nicknames". Pro Football Hall of Fame. January 1, 2005. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
  19. "Arthur Blank buys Falcons from Smith family". December 17, 2001.
  20. "Falcons unveil new logo". AtlantaFalcons.com (Press release). NFL Enterprises, LLC. March 19, 2003. Archived from the original on June 23, 2003. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  21. "Atlanta Falcons: Thomas Dimitroff". atlantafalcons.com.
  22. "Coaches". AtlantaFalcons.com. Archived from the original on March 13, 2013. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  23. "Recent news on Michael Turner – Unsigned Free Agent – Rotoworld.com". rotoworld.com.
  24. "2008 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
  25. "Atlanta Falcons Stats at NFL.com". nfl.com.
  26. "Matt Ryan – Atlanta Falcons – 2015 Player Profile – Rotoworld.com". rotoworld.com.
  27. Cox, Daniel (January 30, 2011). "Pro Bowl Breakdown: ST". AtlantaFalcons.com. Retrieved June 30, 2019.
  28. Singer, Mike (November 28, 2012). "Atlanta's Jacquizz Rodgers emerging as Falcons top back". CBSSports.com. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
  29. "Galleries". CNN. September 5, 2011.
  30. "Wild Card - Atlanta Falcons at New York Giants - January 8th, 2012". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  31. "Panthers use opportunistic defense to crush Falcons, win NFC South". ESPN.com. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
  32. Patra, Kevin. "Atlanta Falcons fire coach Mike Smith". NFL.com. NFL Enterprises LLC. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
  33. Stites, Adam. "Dan Quinn named Atlanta Falcons head coach". SB Nation. Vox Media, Inc. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
  34. Fitzgerald, Matt. "2015 NFL Draft Results: Complete List of Picks, Analysis of Major Storylines". Bleacher Report. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. Retrieved May 24, 2015.
  35. Schefter, Adam (February 1, 2015). "NFL investigating Atlanta Falcons for fake crowd noise at Georgia Dome". ESPN. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
  36. Patra, Kevin (March 30, 2015). "Atlanta Falcons lose 2016 pick for pumping fake noise". National Football League. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
  37. "Patriots' Tom Brady earns 4th Super Bowl MVP trophy with epic comeback". NBC Sports. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  38. "Falcons tied Greatest Show on Turf for record 7th most points scored ever". The Falcoholic. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
  39. "2016 Atlanta Falcons Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
  40. "2017 Atlanta Falcons Schedule & Game Results". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  41. "Report: Atlanta Falcons to move on from Dan Quinn". Touchdown Wire. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  42. "Atlanta Falcons, city officials agree on financing terms for new $1 billion stadium". ESPN.go.com. March 7, 2013. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  43. Saporta, Maria. "New Falcons stadium cost 'rises up' -- again -- another $100 million". Atlanta Business Chronicle. American City Business Journals. Retrieved May 24, 2015.
  44. "Atlanta City Council approves Falcons stadium funding". myfoxatlanta.com. March 18, 2013. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
  45. Evolution of the Falcons' colors. AtlantaFalcons.com. NFL Enterprises. February 13, 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
  46. "Uniform History" (PDF). 2019 Atlanta Falcons Media Guide. NFL Enterprises, LLC. August 13, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  47. "Falcons unveil new uniforms at fan rally". AtlantaFalcons.com (Press release). NFL Enterprises, LLC. April 24, 2003. Archived from the original on July 5, 2003. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  48. "NFL AND NIKE REVEAL COLOR RUSH UNIFORMS". AtlantaFalcons.com. NFL Enterprises, LLC. September 13, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2019.
  49. Tabeek, Matthew (December 4, 2017). "LOOK: THREE STRAIGHT HOME GAMES WITH THREE DIFFERENT UNIFORM COMBINATIONS FOR FALCONS". AtlantaFalcons.com. NFL Enterprises, LLC. Retrieved June 30, 2019.
  50. Shook, Nick (January 14, 2020). "Atlanta Falcons to have new uniforms for 2020 season". NFL.com. NFL Enterprises. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  51. Bergman, Jeremy (April 8, 2020). "Falcons unveil new uniforms, helmet ahead of 2020". NFL.com. NFL Enterprises. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  52. Tomlinson, Tommy (September 2, 2014). "Tomlinson: Falcons-Saints rivalry runs deep". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
  53. "Atlanta Falcons Team Encyclopedia". Pro Football Reference. 2008. Retrieved August 17, 2008. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  54. "Atlanta Falcons Head-to-Head Records". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  55. "Michael Vick: Career Stats at NFL.com". nfl.com.
  56. "Atlanta Falcons – Ring of Honor". atlantafalcons.com.
  57. https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/roddy-white-to-be-inducted-into-falcons-ring-of-honor
  58. "History of Atlanta Falcons Head Coaches". AtlantaFalcons.com. NFL Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  59. Ho, Rodney. "92.9/The Game becomes a Falcons affiliate". Radio & TV Talk with Rodney Ho. Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
  60. "Falcons Announce New Local TV Partner". AtlantaFalcons.com. NFL Enterprises, LLC. February 27, 2014. Retrieved June 30, 2019.
  61. "Atlanta Falcons – Radio Affiliate Stations". AtlantaFalcons.com. NFL Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on May 1, 2018. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  62. "Braves New Home In Chattanooga Is Brewer Media's ESPN 105.1 The Zone". Archived from the original on September 23, 2017. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
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